Does someone in your family have a dental emergency?  Sometimes emergencies arise and prompt treatment is necessary to alleviate pain and try to save your teeth in the best way possible.  If you are already a patient of Utley Dental, you or your families’ dental emergency is always one of our highest priorities! 

If you have a dental emergency, please call our office as soon as possible and we will make sure your dental problem is seen and taken care of.  Some common dental emergencies include the following:

• A chipped tooth
• A fracture in a tooth or teeth
• Acute swelling in the mouth
• Severe toothaches
• A tooth or teeth knocked out 
• An impact with something hard causing gum and lip damage

Complete Tooth Loss

Sometimes, a tooth that has been knocked out of the mouth can be saved.  If the tooth is placed back into the mouth correctly within one hour, sometimes the tissues will grow back to support the tooth again, saving your tooth.  Knowing what to do increases your chances of success.

Here are some things you can do to help your damaged teeth have the best chance of success.

1. Call the office and we will get you right in.
2. Only touch the tooth by the crown.  DO NOT touch the root of the tooth.
3. Place the tooth back into the socket if possible.
4. If you can’t put the tooth back into its location, put it in a cup of milk, saliva or water (In that order).
5. Drive or have someone else drive immediately to our office, but safely!
6. We will evaluate the situation and see if the tooth will reattach

Loose Teeth

If your tooth is still attached to blood vessels and nerves in your mouth but loose, it might be possible to save it.  Loose teeth can be caused by trauma or decay, so it is important to evaluate the situation closely.  

Call the office immediately to make an appointment!  The dentist will reposition the tooth to see if it will heal properly.  If not, a root canal may be necessary to save the tooth.  

You can do several things to help with the pain in the meantime.  Over the counter medications can be used to relieve pain and cold compresses can be used on the affected areas.  

Broken, Cracked or Chipped Teeth

Your teeth can be damaged in various ways.  Although your teeth are strong, they can be broken by dental trauma, grinding your teeth or even biting into something hard.  Many times you won’t know if your tooth has a fracture, but if your tooth has been fractured down to the root, it can be very painful.  If you suspect that your tooth has been fractured, call the office immediately to schedule an appointment.  

If a part of a tooth has broken off, it is important to see us at the office also.  Sometimes the dentist can affix the fractured part of the tooth back on (if you have it) as a temporary measure.

Some things you can do after you have experienced a fracture or break are to rinse the tooth with water, apply gauze if the area is bleeding, use a cold pack on your cheek to minimize swelling, and take an over the counter pain reliever.  

Emergency Dental Services

If you have an emergency, call Utley Dental immediately and we will discuss your situation and help you know what to do.  Utley Dental wants all their patients to have a beautiful healthy smile and will be happy to help in any emergency.